It’s secret New York City is home to some of the most slovenly, untended and sometimes downright grotesque bathrooms in the nation. With an urban center home to a larger population than all of Sweden, public and private restroom cleanliness tends to get lost in the shuffle. However Architizer (the facebook for architects) has launched a design challenge to see who in their ranks is up for the task of beautifying one of the city’s biggest eyesores. For their newest competition, established and up-and coming designers are pushed to draw innovative plans to turn an otherwise unsightly bathroom into the chicest room in the house. The “client”? Rickshaw Dumplings founder Kenny Lao, whose East Village bathroom has often been likened to “something out of the film Trainspotting.”

The competition will be ongoing through January 23rd, and the winner will receive a $5,000 design fee in addition to having their design built in the spring. As a second place, two runners-up will receive $1000 each (and it goes without saying- a true sense of accomplishment).

Organizing and sponsoring the event is AF New York, Brizo with the support of Duravit, Blue Water Construction and Restoration, Remodelista and Architizer. Judging the entrants will be Marc Tsurumaki (partner, LTL Architects), Bennett Friedman (Principal and Creative Director of AFNY), Elena Frampton (co-founder, Curated) and Marc Kushner, AIA (co-founder, Architizer), all with the input of the owner himself, Kenny Lao.